103' Substitution

Fulham escaped a Capital One Cup giant killing on Tuesday evening as they defeated Burton Albion 5-4 on penalties after the game had finished 2-2 after extra-time.

Adel Taarabt’s first goal for the Club looked to have won things for the visitors at the Pirelli Stadium, before Jack Dyer popped up with five minutes remaining to force an additional 30 minutes of action.

Sascha Riether went close for Fulham when he hit a post, but it was the Brewers who broke the deadlock when substitute Michael Symes headed in at the far post. It looked as though it was enough to send Albion through, until Hugo Rodallega struck at the death.

It meant penalties were inevitable, with John Arne Riise smashing home the decisive spot kick after David Stockdale had denied Dyer.

Martin Jol made four changes from the side that lost to Arsenal on Saturday, with Darren Bent given a full debut, while Ashkan Dejagah and Bryan Ruiz made their first appearances of the season. Giorgos Karagounis was also handed a first start of the new campaign.

Burton started with purpose but Fulham quickly worked the first opening on three minutes when Brede Hangeland came within an inch of Karagounis’ corner after Riise had won the set-piece off Phil Edwards’ shins.

Good running by Taarabt a minute later brought the first save of the match, with the Morocco international shooting down the throat of Dean Lyness, who held well.

Some quick pass and move football on 12 minutes saw Dejagah cut inside before finding Bent who had made a stealthy run into the channel, but the striker’s low ball across the face was confidently claimed by Lyness.

Rene Howe showed good strength to hold off Hangeland six minutes later – the striker managed to get his shot away but his contact was scuffed and the effort trickled harmlessly wide of Stockdale’s post.

The Whites – in their new red away strip – worked a dangerous opening with 24 minutes on the clock as Taarabt advanced before disguising a square pass to Bent, who rifled in an effort that was deflected behind for a corner.

After a speculative effort from the right boot of Chris Hussey had flown wide, Karagounis was next to try his luck from range but while his 25-yarded was dipping, it never had quite enough on it to trouble Lyness.

The away side opened the scoring in fine style in the 35th minute through the mercurial Taarabt. The playmaker – who had been on the end of many a stray leg throughout the first half – skipped inside his man from the left hand side of the area, before clipping a low effort beyond Lyness and inside the far post to open his Fulham account in pristine style.

Burton had been sitting deep with 10 men behind the ball whenever Fulham were in possession, but the goal had forced them out of their shell and Howe forced a smart save from Stockdale on 40 minutes following a powerful run.

Jol made one change at the interval, with Taarabt replaced by Alexander Kacaniklic in a like for like change.

After a slow opening to the second period, it was 10 minutes before the first chance of note, with Lyness claiming Dejagah’s ferocious effort from distance at the second attempt.

A sublime ball over the top from Karagounis four minutes later found Ruiz who got the ball under control expertly and rounded the ‘keeper, only for a Burton defender to recover brilliantly to get a block in as Ruiz pulled the trigger for what would have been a certain goal.

A defensive lapse by Ian Sharps on 67 minutes allowed Bent to get in behind but with Lyness rushing out quickly, our number 39 could only prod into the stopper’s advancing torso.

And the Whites went close again to a second four minutes later, with Bent involved once more when he collected Ruiz’s exquisite through ball before seeing his drilled cross just turned around the post by a man in yellow.

Roared on by a vocal home crowd, Burton then had their best spell of the game, culminating in Dyer fizzing a well struck shot marginally wide of Stockdale’s far post, before Hussey volleyed an effort into the keeper’s arms shortly after.

If anyone looked like scoring it was going to be the Brewers, and they did just that with five minutes remaining when Dyer drilled a fine effort into the back of the net after meeting Hussey’s accurate cross first time.

The vociferous home crowd thought they’d won the tie in normal time when the ball was bundled beyond Stockdale and beyond the line, but Symes was adjudged to have used his arm and the goal was ruled out.

It was a frenetic climax to the 90 minutes as Bent then saw his legs taken away as he went to connect with substitute Pajtim Kasami’s cross, but the referee ruled no foul, despite the boisterous claims from the Fulham fans behind the goal.

With extra-time underway, the first opportunity fell the way of the hosts, with Stockdale doing well to watch the flight of Damien McCrory’s deflected effort from 20 yards out to hold the shot.

Bent then forced a top class stop from Lyness at the other end when he smashed a powerful effort towards the near post following a corner that the goalkeeper did brilliantly to beat away.

Neat footwork from Kasami in the 96th minute saw him work some space for himself inside the penalty area – the Swiss twisted and turned before firing in a low effort that Lyness pushed against the post and behind for a corner.

Riether was then relentlessly unlucky as he was twice denied a goal two minutes later. Firstly, he crashed Kacaniklic’s cutback against the post, before the follow up was blocked on the line by Sharps.

With Fulham in control, Burton’s second goal came as a bolt out of the blue when Symes rose highest at the far post to nod in another fantastic Hussey cross. Jol then played his last throw of the dice by throwing Rodallega on for Karagounis.

Only a fingertip save by Stockdale in the 109th minute kept Fulham in the contest, as our goalkeeper flew to his left to magnificently tip over Jimmy Phillips’ goalbound shot. And he was in action again with five minutes remaining, when he got down low to deny the excellent Hussey.

Time was running out for Fulham, and a speculative effort from Kacaniklic on 116 minutes was all too easy for Lyness who claimed comfortably, but there was nothing he could do about Rodallega’s strike a minute later.

With a plethora of bodies inside the box, Scott Parker managed to get a shot away that came back off the crossbar and, following something of a scramble, Rodallega was on hand to plant a great strike beyond Lyness.

And the Colombian almost eradicated the need for penalties in the final minute of extra-time, but his well struck volley flew just wide, with Kasami doing likewise with a first time effort shortly after that proved to be the final chance in the 120 minutes.

The penalty shoot-out took place in front of the Fulham fans, but the travelling support couldn’t put Symes off as the former Everton youth team player calmly sent Stockdale the wrong way.

Bent was then up first for Fulham, and the England man made no mistake, leaving Lyness with no chance as he thumped an effort into the top corner.

Albion substitute Adam Reed then followed Symes’ example as he also rolled his spot kick to the left as Stockdale dived in the opposite direction.

Fulham were then given a huge slice of luck as Ruiz’s penalty hit the post before coming back off Lyness and into the net.

It was then advantage to the visitors as Dyer saw his kick brilliantly palmed to safety by Stockdale, with Riether converting to make it 3-2 to the team in red.

The pressure was then on McCrory who was up next for Burton, but the midfielder made no mistake as he emphatically put the ball beyond the reach of Stockdale, who guessed the right way.

119 Rodallega drills a shot over and Kasami pulls one wide as the Whites search for the winner. Two minutes added.

117Rodallega slams in a rocket from ten yards after Parker's deflected shot cannons back off the crossbar into a goal-mouth scramble.

115 Fulham are piling on the pressure and Kačaniklić's slams a shot at goal but Lyness holds well to save.

113 Hussey springs a counter-attack with the Whites back-tracking and Stockdale has to hold the ball well from his strike.

112 Riise lofts a cross into the box and the ball flies across the face of goal, narrowly eluding Rodallega and Bent.

110 Riether whips in a fizzing cross and Holness almost diverts it into his own goal but Lyness reacts at the near post to stop the ball.

109 A phenomenal save by Stockdale keeps the Whites in the tie, leaping full length to fingertip Phillips' rocket over the crossbar.

108The Whites are throwing everything they have at Burton now. Rodallega goes into the book for a late challenge.

105Burton 2-1 Fulham. The Whites have 15 minutes to keep themselves in the Capital One Cup.

103Martin Jol throws Hugo Rodallega on to replace Karagounis.

102Burton 2-1 Fulham. Symes pounces at the far post from Hussey's cross to put the home side ahead.

101 Another spell of Fulham pressure results in the ball being worked out to Ruiz, whose driven shot is just wide.

97 Unbelievable how Fulham are not ahead. From Kačaniklić's cut-back, Riether pounds a shot against the post then sees his rebound cleared off the goalline by Sharps.

94 Kacaniklic's cross is only half clearance and Bent latches on to the bouncing ball and hits a stinging drive at goal, which is well-saved by Lyness. Then Kasami brings another low stop from the Brewers keeper.

91We are underway in extra-time, as the Whites seek to up the tempo after Stockdale saves from McCrory's strike.

Burton 1-1 Fulham. Adel Taarabt's first-half strike was cancelled out by Jack Dyer's late volley and we will play extra-time.

89Burton have the ball in the net as Symes connects on Hussey's cross. The home crowd are going wild but the linesman flags for handball against the Brewers player. Four minutes added on.

88 Karagounis drills a 35-yard free-kick at Burton's goal but it skims just wide of the post. This game is in the balance now.

87 The Brewers are buoyed by the goal and their crowd is giving them confidence. It's now up to the Whites to silence them.

85Burton 1-1 Fulham. Chris Hussey swings in a deep cross and it's met full on the volley by Jack Dyer at the far post. Extra-time looms.

84Dejagah makes his way off the pitch after an industrious display, Kasami is his replacement to try and help see the game out.

82 The Whites are trying to control this game but Burton haven't given up hope yet. Stockdale holds well from Hussey's strike.

79 Stockdale is put under pressure with a couple of hanging crosses but he claims well as the Whites begin to build from the back.

77Howe is hauled off for Michael Symes as Burton make their final change. They've been pushing forward well in the last five minutes.

74 Burton's best spell of the match forces two brilliant clearances from Riise before the ball falls to Dyer and his 12-yard volley whistles narrowly wide of Stockdale's post.

72 Kačaniklić is denied by a last ditch tackle on the edge of the six yard box after Ruiz's pin-point through ball frees Bent in the right channel.

67 Bent gets a clear sight of goal after Hangeland's looping header prompts a defensive slip but keeper Lyness is out quick to deny the Whites frontman.

64 There's some tidy possession play between Dejagah and Parker as the Whites seek to tire out the League Two side. Fulham are taking full control of the game now.

61We have a double change for Burton, Bell and Weir come off for Phillips and Reed. The Brewers will need to open up now to get back into this game, perhaps leaving space for Fulham to exploit.

58 With Burton pushing forward, Karagounis lofts a looping ball over the top which is superbly controlled by Ruiz but Holness makes the block as the Costa Rican pulls the trigger.

54 A sharp turn by Ashkan Dejagah nearly opens up a shooting chance, then the loose ball falls to Kačaniklić, whose shot is charged down and falls into keeper Lyness' hands.

49 Kačaniklić shows a terrific turn of pace to fly into the Burton area but he's closed out, and Bent almost squeezes in around the back.

46We've got a half-time change with Alexander Kačaniklić replacing Adel Taarabt, and Burton get us started in the second half.

Burton 0-1 Fulham. Taarabt's angled strike separtes the sides but it has been all Fulham attacking a very defensive Burton line-up.

42 Two excellent defensive headers from Hangeland stem a dangerous Burton attack and it almost launches a counter but Ruiz's pass goes astray.

39 The Whites have practically been playing with four wingers so far with both full-backs camped in Burton territory, but the hosts have to come forward more now and Howe powers into space and slams a shot which Stockdale saves and gathers.

35Burton 0-1 Fulham. Taarabt breaks the deadlock, showing some outrageous skill before beating his marker and rifling in to the far corner.

34 The Whites are peppering the Burton goal now, first Riether's cross is scrambled behind and then Ruiz's effort is deflected wide.

32 With Burton's defence standing firm, Karagounis decides to drive one from 30 yards and it's only a whisker away from Lyness' top corner, the keeper sprawling and beaten all ends up.

28 Left-sided midfielder Chris Hussey is feeling confident and cuts inside to try his luck on goal, but a scuff means his shot skims wide of the post. Stockdale has it covered.

25 Taarabt opens up space for Bent to shoot but his effort is charged down quickly and deflects just wide for a corner.

22 Riether has worked a couple of crossing positions but has yet to deliver the goods. Both Whites full-backs have spent the whole game in the Burton half, with the hosts not committing any wide players forward.

18 Burton's lone, and lonely, striker Rene Howe manages to get hold of a loose ball and gets a shot away but, under presure from Hangeland, it doesn't trouble Stockdale.

16 Attempting to part Burton's ten-man defence, Parker tries to thread the needle in Bent's direction and Fulham win a corner. It's well cleared by the Brewers.

12 Our first effort on goal arrives after Bent runs the channels, drifting wide, and Ruiz gets a touch on his cross but keeper Lyness gathers. Taarabt then leathers a long ranger well over.

10 Trying to make the pitch as wide as possible, Dejagah switches play to Riise, but, defending in numbers, the yellow and black shirts quickly swarm around Bent.

8 Riether finds space on the right-hand side and drops a testing cross in but Brewers keeper Dean Lyness holds it well under pressure from Bent.

5 Karagounis and Parker have been keen to get on the ball and dictate the tempo of the game early on, and they've prompted some nice fast-moving passing so far.

1 We've kicked off in a packed out Pirelli Stadium, Fulham kitted out in their retro red and white second strip.

Out come the teams, the visiting Whites led by Brede Hangeland, and the final man on to the pitch is full debutant Darren Bent, leading the line for Fulham this evening.

The Whites will line up with Darren Bent and Bryan Ruiz in attack, flanked by Adel Taarabt and Ashkan Dejagah. Giorgos Karagounis partners Scott Parker in midfield and our back five remains the same as Saturday.

We're getting closer to our first ever meeting with Burton Albion, and the prize is a place in the Capital One Cup third round.